Physics and Astronomy News Archive: July 2004

New theory links neutrino's slight mass to accelerating universe expansionSource: UW Posted: 7/27/04Two major physics breakthroughs in the last decade are the discovery that neutrinos have mass and that universe expansion is accelerating. Three physicists are suggesting the two discoveries are integrally linked through one of the strangest features of the universe: dark energy.

Growing Tiny Totally Tubular FormationsSource: UArizona Posted: 7/26/04An accidental discovery may provide insights into the creation of tubular structures such as those found in caves and at hydrothermal vents

Spacecraft Fleet Tracks Blast Wave Through Solar SystemSource: NASA/GSFC Posted: 7/13/04A fleet of spacecraft dispersed throughout the solar system gave the most comprehensive picture to date of how blast waves from solar storms propagate through the solar system and the radiation generated in their wake.

Possible Quantum Stumbling Block Found For Nanotechnologies Source: URochester Posted: 7/12/04Quantum nanorods, atomic structures that have been heralded as the key to everything from super-efficient solar cells to an elusive white laser, appear to have an inherent surface charge that may tarnish their gleaming image.

Neutrino Oscillation Observed For The First TimeSource: UCI Posted: 7/8/04A new analysis of atmospheric neutrino data by a team of international scientists has shown for the first time the distinctive pattern of neutrino oscillation that has eluded researchers until now.

A New Twist on Fiber OpticsSource: NSF Posted: 7/7/04By twisting fiber optic strands into helical shapes, researchers have created unique structures that can precisely filter, polarize or scatter light.

'For the sake of persons of ... different types, scientific truth should be presented in different forms, and should be regarded as equally scientific, whether it appears in the robust form and the vivid coloring of a physical illustration, or in the tenuity and paleness of a symbolic expression.'